Breaking the Ice
by bat ops
Summary: Batman, desiring to reform some of his rogues, reaches out to Mr. Freeze to help him cure Nora.


Breaking the Ice

Batman

1

Outside Mr. Freeze safe house

"Are you sure this is wise, Master Bruce?"

"Yes, I am. If anyone of my ever growing list of rogues can possibly be reformed – it's him."

"Yes, sir...assuming he listens to your proposal long enough before turning you to ice with that gun of his."

Remaining crouched behind a wall corner, Batman made his final preparations for a frontal entry to possibly ally with the wanted super criminal Mr. Freeze.

"He may not listen at all before shooting, Alfred. And even if he does hear me out that won't necessarily stop him from attacking either."

"That's why I don't think this is a good idea, sir. At least use stealth..."

"No. If Freeze sees me approaching him openly then that helps instill the impression that I'm not there for a fight or to bring him in."

"I don't know about this, sir..."

"It's a calculated risk. His MO has always been the same – cure Nora of her affliction. If we help him do that, that's one less super criminal to deal with on a regular basis."

"True, but what about Gordon and the police? If they learn that Batman is helping a major fugitive like Freeze, won't it damage your credibility?"

"It might, but I intended to only reveal that association when the time was right to do so."

"To what end, sir?"

"Ideally - to have his crimes pardoned and to see him restored as a pillar in the scientific community. If he was, think of how many people he could help, Alfred. Think of how many other diseases he could cure and lives he could save if he was Dr. Victor Fries again."

"It's a wonderful notion, sir, but don't you think that's quite impossible at this point?"

"Not for Batman it's not."

"And for Bruce Wayne?"

"Wayne follows Batman's lead on this."

"And if we fail – then what, sir?"

"We cross that bridge only if we have to – not before. ...I'm going in now..."

"Very well. Good luck, sir."

"Thanks."

XXX

Batman found Freeze right where he thought he would be – in his makeshift lab where he ever obsessively tried to find a cure for his wife. And as usual, his wife's cryo pod was never far away and positioned upright so that Freeze could always see her, frozen though she might be.

"It is not like you to enter in such a revealed manner," said Mr. Freeze, back still facing the Dark Knight as the latter entered the lab space.

In his famous armored suit that also kept him alive in subzero settings, Batman took note that his equally famous ice gun was near his hand – but not in it. Batman stopped right past the doorway to appear as non-threatening as possible.

Freeze's suit motors whirred as he turned around to face Batman. "Your knowledge of where my latest safe house is located does not surprise me, but your deliberate triggering of my building security along with the open manner of your approach does..."

"I'm not here to apprehend you, Victor."

"I concluded as much, as I am not armed at present."

"True, but you and I both know your suit has many secondary defensive abilities."

"Indeed. And despite your knowing this, you still openly reveal yourself. What is this about?"

Batman was direct, as usual. "I want to help you cure Nora."

Freeze was silent.

"It's not a trick, Victor. I can help you do it."

"Why would you? Why now, after all of these years, after all of our battles?"

"Because I believe you can still change."

"What's the matter, Batman? Is your rogues gallery growing too long for you to handle nowadays?"

"No, but one less super criminal on it is not a bad thought either."

"I see. Why should I believe this?"

"If we can work together to cure your wife then we won't need belief – we'll have fact. Which would you rather have?"

Freeze actually pondered it.

Batman went further yet. "I have help. Bruce Wayne owes me for past favors done. He can set us up with the best equipment on earth."

"Does Wayne know about me or the details of this?"

"No. He only knows what I want him to know."

"And you trust him?"

"Why?"

"Don't forget, Batman, it was corporate betrayal that led to my misfortune to begin with."

"I know. Wayne will do what I ask of him."

"Very well. ...What of the police?"

"Let me handle that."

"Won't this damage your reputation with them?"

"It might, but let me worry about that."

Freeze was silent.

"Do we have a deal?"

"I shall need time to think about this."

"Take all the time you need. Do you have a way that I can reach you?"

Freeze touched a few buttons on his suit's gauntlet computer panel. "Can you detect this frequency?"

Batman scanned it. "Got it."

"Reach me on this channel whenever we are not face to face."

"Understood. Victor...?"

"Yes?"

"Can I see the latest medical data on your wife – so that I might be able to research it myself?"

"I don't see why not."

Batman created a data uplink to the batcomputer via his gauntlet computer screen. "You should be able to transmit it to my computer now for analysis."

Freeze went to his computer, confirmed the uplink, and sent Nora's current medical data.

"Data received," Batman confirmed.

He turned to leave...

"Batman?"

"Yes?"

"Why? ...Really?"

"It's time to think in new ways, Victor. We can either fight forever and likely die in the process – maybe killing Nora too – or we can try to end that insanity for good and start anew."

Batman exited. He left Freeze with a lot to think about – even though Freeze had inwardly already agreed to Batman's offer.

The truth was that Nora was getting worse, despite the cryogenic intervention that had bought Freeze valuable time. Batman would likely spot this continued deterioration when he reviewed her vitals. The other truth was that Freeze was no closer to finding a cure than before.

If he and Batman pooled their resources...

Batman had just grapnel-boarded the batwing and was returning to the batcave when Freeze called him...

"Batman?"

"Yes, Victor?"

"I accept."

"Good. Then let's get to work. I'll be in touch. ...Did you copy all that, Alfred?"

"I did, sir. And I must say – most impressive."

"Not yet. That's to come."

"True, sir, but this adds another depth to Batman we don't typically see."

"It won't always be this way, but if it can be done this way then it will be. The Dark Knight has to evolve like everything does if he is to remain effective. And the greater victories against crime come with removing crime's causes to begin with."

"No objections here, sir."


End file.
